Martin Aiken commits to Tigers |
AUDIO: Martin Aiken press conference
AUDIO: David Hood's interview with Aiken's mother Amanda Brown BAMBERG, SC - The Clemson Tigers picked up the 12th commitment of the 2012 recruiting class Sunday afternoon when Bamberg defensive end
Martin Aiken Martin Aiken The 6-foot-3, 245-pounder is a 4-star prospect who is listed as one of top 15 defensive end prospects in the nation by many recruiting services, and he attended Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney’s camp in Clemson earlier this month and came away with the Tigers as his leader. "Every time I went there I felt at home," said Aiken. "It’s just a place that is real special to me." He finished 2012 with more than 90 tackles and eight sacks. His coach, Kevin Crosby, says Aiken isn’t quite where former Bamberg players Ricky Sapp and Da’Quan Bowers were before they made it to Clemson, but he’s getting close. “He is an explosive player that really came on as junior and played very well,” Crosby told TigerNet. “He is a maturing player. He has played for us for three years, and I think he will be a pretty good one with one more year of work. He is not right where Ricky and Da’Quan were at this time, but by the time we get finished with him this offseason, and he steps on the field in the fall, he will be right up there with them. He has a lot of upside to him.” Aiken said following Bowers and Sapp wasn't a deciding factor, but it provides motivation now that he has committed. "I knew I had to make the decision for me not them [Sapp and Bowers]. But it really gives you more motivation to know someone went before you and did so well." The Tigers have picked up eight verbal commitments since May 23rd, with seven of those commits coming since the first session of Dabo Swinney’s camp.
Defensive Line
6-3, 240
Bamberg, SC
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, one of the top players in the Palmetto State, chose the Tigers over South Carolina and Georgia Tech in a press conference at his school.
Martin Aiken announcement press conference
2012 F O O T B A L L C O M M I T S | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Name | POS | HT, WT | Hometown (School) | |
Martin Aiken | DE | 6-3 240 | Bamberg, SC (Bamberg-Ehrhardt HS) | |
Travis Blanks | DB | 6-1 180 | Tallahassee, FL (North Florida Christian HS) | |
Zac Brooks | ATH | 6-2 180 | Jonesboro, AR (Jonesboro HS) | |
T.J. Burrell | LB | 6-1 195 | Goose Creek, SC (Goose Creek HS) | |
Patrick DeStefano | OL | 6-4 275 | Roebuck, SC (Dorman HS) | |
Ronnie Geohaghan | S | 6-0 185 | Fairfax, SC (Allendale Fairfax HS) | |
Jay Guillermo | OL | 6-3 285 | Maryville, TN (Maryville HS) | |
Germone Hopper | ATH | 6-0 175 | Charlotte, NC (Phillip Berry Academy) | |
Chad Kelly | QB | 6-2 205 | Buffalo, NY (St Joseph's Collegiate Inst) | |
Shaquille Lawson | DL | 6-4 240 | Central, SC (Daniel HS) | |
Bradley Pinion | K | 6-6 220 | Concord, NC (Northwest Cabarrus HS) | |
Cordrea Tankersley | ATH | 6-2 195 | Aiken, SC (Silver Bluff HS) |
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